Though we are faithless, He is faithful.
Though we change, He never will.

Wednesday, May 15

Summer has Come

So many good and wonderful and funny things happen to me, but somehow i'm always at a loss for words. I want to take some time to catch you up on my goings on, so forgive me if it's disjointed.

May 9 - To ease you into my last month, I should let you know that recently I have engaged in several cathartic mosquito wars. Some days when I
have had it with the bites on my legs and the way I can’t sleep because of
their dive-bombing into my ears, I march into the bathroom where they swarm
over the water I store in my buckets, shut the door behind me, and just begin
the massacre. I know they must dread the coming day when my wrath is unleashed,
when the escape is blocked and I take up my weapons of choice – just between
you and me, I am pretty dang good with the back of a hairbrush.

But all of the mosquito frustrations and dengue scares pale
in comparison to what happened this morning. I had just gotten out of the
bucket bath and I had my clothes off to the side. When I went to grab my
leggings, I froze.
climbing the wall by my sink was a giant cockroach.
Now, I feel a little spoiled that this is my first cockroach, having lived in
Delhi eight months already and two months previously. I feel like I should be a
seasoned roach warrior by now. But
it is my first, and therefore I am not seasoned. I shivered, and I gaped, and I
made a noise that can be categorized probably with either the screams or the
babbling insane murmurs.
I quickly got dressed and hopped
on one foot out to Leah to inform her of the code: red, and she asked for a fly swatter
so I skidded in to Praisey’s room and asked for one. Praisey laughed,
unconcerned, and picked up a kitchen utensil that she used to make mr. Roach
what she called “half-dead” and send him back into the drain where he came
from. I thanked her, kicked her
out, clamped the drain cover down as hard as possible and dumped an entire 12
liter bucket of water down after the wretched thing as I whimpered, never
ceasing to imagine it wrestling the cover off of the hole and crawling back out
having doubled in size. I have a
24 liter bucket I could have used, but I didn’t want to overreact or anything.

May 10 - Our dear Linda came in a flash of freshness and went in a flash of glory. While here she did not stop serving, giving, or loving the people God put on her heart. Her service never turns off - she is constantly processing and trying to think of ways to improve the areas that have been placed under her care. Ever since she left we have felt her absence sharply, but we constantly see the lingering effects of her efforts. We are all certainly more time conscious because of her two months of consistent encouragement, and we are all a little closer to performing at a level of excellence instead of expecting mediocrity to get us by.
We are thankful for Linda - every person here became quite attached to her in different ways. Her farewell at her last Saturday evening focal point was a wonderful hit, a laughter-filled party celebrating her strengths and her quirks. She's one of us - she's a part of our team; she made us better, and she looks great in a sari. What more could we ask for in a teammate?

May 11 - In the way of CBC news, we have some wonderful things to share!!
Last Sunday I was voted in as an official member. I've never been an individual member of a chrch before because of my constant moving and changing, so this was actually a pretty big deal for me. To have found the kind of fellowship that helps me to understand God's plan for His people is so beautiful to me. The four reasons I decided to join the chrch were: for fellowship & accountability from the members, availability to the members, and a commitment to a personal investment in the health of the body. CBC has taught me so much about being there for the people in your Family, and I want to share one example. Recently I've asked for prayer continuously concerning Andrew's job situation. He has been searching for months with nothing to show for it. Yesterday I was able to share the news that he finally got not one, but two of the jobs he's been applying so diligently for! I shared it in the morning at a staff meeting and in the evening in our small group, and in both situations people were so invested in and pleased by the news that they broke into delighted applause! It amazed me to see that kind of support. I'm thankful to be called one of their number.
But my new membership is not the most exciting thing to happen in our midst recently! Just this last Sunday, we had a b*tism service immediately following the message in which our 78-year-old pstor dunked ten new believers in a glorious kiddie pool at the front of our resource center.
Can you believe it -- ten new children of God, two of them from our Nandlal CHEP program, together proclaiming the Son's death until He comes. It was an event for His glory and just another reason I feel privileged to be among this congregation.

May 14 - While i've been here, i've mostly been helping hither and thither, flitting around and substituting for whatever English teacher can't make it, photographing, designing logos and brochures, singing, (baking, watching children).... And that has kept me somewhat busy. I haven't been able to to much work in the slums, and I can see why. Things are established there, and as my Hindi is so limited I'm often more of a distraction than a help. But for the summer, I have the opportunity to go to the slum and work on English with some of the sweetest low income children you've ever met.
I feel very strongly about working with youth. Arming them with the Truth - giving them the choice - is the only hope for the future of their families. I firmly believe that whole areas could be turned upside down; whole slums raised out of poverty and elevated out of abusive and addictive lifestyles through the influence of just a few dedicated and brave children with hearts to give the gift of Hope back to their communities, willing to demonstrate the Most Excellent Way through a relentless lifestyle and courageous love.
I am so happy that I get to go be with them and teach them some English! For a whole month I'll get to know them and be in their lives and talk to them about True Love, which is the theme of the summer program this year.
My pastor Larry Murray gave me a very encouraging talking-to at the beginning of the fundraising portion of this adventure. He told me how our home Family had been praying for youth to be raised up from among us to reach the new generation in China and India, and how I was the first answer to that prayer. I feel like I can begin to fulfill that role as i serve in a capacity that excites me and truly helps others.
It's not going to be a piece of peach cake: today while i was in transit, i was sweating so profusely i couldn't remember the last time i was so soaked in public - well, until i remembered Delhi 2010. Somehow, though, it made me excited to feel the same feeling, to remember that whirlwind summer and all the sweat i lost and all the people i came to love.

here's hoping this summer will replicate some of the productivity and fulfillment 2010 held, but that it's different in enough beautiful ways to teach me lessons i have not yet learned.

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I hope you enjoy reading a little about my life, my passions, and the highlights of my world travels! My heart is in Delhi, but it packs up to follow me wherever my feet occasionally wander. This page is more of a journaling effort than anything, but if you want to follow my story as it unfolds, keep checking back; I promise you'll see some exciting stuff.